Legend of Link: Heroine of Time
by Op3ratic
Summary: Wellp, Hyrule is under siege again and it's up to the new reincarnation of Link, previously banished to Earth with the reincarnation of Gannon, to stop it. But what if Link was a woman? What if Zelda isn't the helpless captured dame and instead works beside Link to end evil? What if Gannon was on the good side?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one: Birthday present from the Goddesses**

_Do be careful what you wish;_

_You may not wake with mirth and bliss._

A young girl slept alone in her room, rays of light from the window above casting shadows on her face. Her features were sharp and angled, giving her an elf-like image. Her bottom lip was pierced and adorned with a small, green jewel. Leaf-green eyes fluttered awake and the young girl rose to a sitting position on her bed. It just so happened that today, in the middle of October, was this young girls birthday.

She jumped in surprise as her cell phone began to ring, then picked it up, not at all astonished to see that it was her good friend Bonnie. _Hey, Link! Happy birthday! Now wake the fuck up._Link smiled at the passive-aggressive words, knowing that today she was also supposed to meet Bonnie for the first time since they got separated in middle school. The young girl shot out of bed and chose her outfit for the day- a simple black T-shirt with a pair of jeans that she thought looked great. She shook her short, brown hair and examined herself in the mirror before opening her makeup box. After much fussing around in front of the mirror she finally finished, then glanced over to a small figurine on her vanity. "Good morning, Hylia." She said, patting the triforce on the small statues chest. She giggled to herself, then opened her phone to reply to her friend. _I'm awake, jeez. How's the Bonnie lass today, hmm? _She replied, then went outside into her living room.

It was no secret that this girl _loved _the Legend of Zelda series, in fact, her parents did too, and named their first daughter Link. It always puzzled her why they decided to name her Link instead of Zelda though. Wasn't Link the dude? Link pursed her lips in thought. _Maybe its because they want me to be a hero instead of a sissy princess being saved? ... Okay. _She shrugged. The small room was littered with Zelda related merchandise, complete with a wooden replica of Majora's Mask hanging above the door. "Good morning!" A grown womans voice sounded from the kitchen. "Mornin'." Link replied, pulling her phone out again and taking a seat at the dinner table, eyeing the mask like it was a bomb in a playful fashion. _I'm totally not fixing up my draft while my sister is gone. She's such an annoyance. _Bonnie replied. Link yawned and typed out a reply. _Good luck with that. I think I might take another walk... It's nice out. _The brunette looked out the window at the elusive Washingtonian sunshine, then got up and pulled on her green hoodie. "I'm heading out." She called to her mother, then slipped on her shoes and went into her back yard.

The fall leaves burned across the trees and littered the ground in a warm blend of colors. the chill nipped at her exposed skin, causing Link to pull the ends of her sleeves downward to hide her hands. In the back of the small country land she lived in was a grove of trees that Link liked to hide in when she needed some time to herself. She shifted her pace to a run and entered the grove. Running fast, trees passed, she was homebound. _I wonder if it's still there... _She pondered to herself, then entered a small clearing. Looming in the corner of the area was a small rose bush. Link smiled and approached it, running a hand along the thorned branches. "No roses yet, hmm?" She commented, then eased onto her back and gazed up at the clouds above as they crawled lazily across the sky. "Seventeen years old..." She breathed, pushing her bangs from in front of her eyes. As she laid there her lips slowly sunk into a frown. "... Seventeen and have done nothing worthwhile in my life. Ugh." She complained, then sighed. "I wish..." She began, then looked up in the sky again. "I wish I could go on an adventure... Anything other than this boring existence." She rose into a sitting position, resting her chin on her knee. "Like the real Link..."

Link shot up to a stand as something rustled in the bushes beside her. "Who's there?" She barked, raising a stick as a makeshift weapon. _Is it a bear? A bobcat?_ She thought, growing panicked. _Oh god, didn't Danielle run into a black bear around here? _She widened her eyes in horror. _And I don't know how to climb a tree. _She approached the overgrowth with extreme caution, then pulled away the leaves in a rush, surprised to see nothing there. _I was wrong... Thank goodness..._ Link breathed a sigh of relief, then leaned against the nearest tree. _Do you think bears can be invisible? _She texted Bonnie in a moment of childish dreaming. She took the stick in her hand and began the slow walk towards home, kicking a stone down the path worn down by feet. _No, Link. Bears can't be invisible... Unless they were magic. Fear the magics, Link. _Bonnie replied in a sarcastically motherly way. Link shrugged and made her way back to her home.

The autumn chill was soon replaced by the warmth of the gas stove Links family kept in the main room. She stood over by the aforementioned hearth and warmed her chilled bones before migrating to her room. In the corner of her eye she spotted the small Hylia statue, then picked it up and plopped onto her bed, examining the curves and grooves in the stone. Her eye grazed over the triforce and pursed her lips. "Din, Nayru, Farore..." She whispered. _... This is stupid. _She noted, then set the statue aside and decided to take a short nap.

When Link awoke for a second time she felt a lingering sense of doom, but couldn't quite put her finger on why. She arose and ran a hand through her hair. _Nah, it's just a normal, boring day, Link. _She told herself, then got up and made her way back into the main living room. Her parents were watching the television like usual and the family cat was curled up in her favorite chair. Figures, that cat always had some sort of grudge against the poor girl no matter how many times Link tried to make up. She smiled and reached out a hand to pet the small creature but was met by a loud growl. "Well excuuuse you." Link muttered, then turned and walked back outside. The crisp chill had given way to a much more comfortable degree of cold and Link couldn't help but go out to the large plum tree in her back yard. The large, red leaves always gave her a sense of protection. "There she is!" She heard a small voice say. Link spun around faster than you could say "What the fuck" and glanced around, heart hammering in her chest. "What was that?" She questioned, her voice cracking. A few moments passed before she heard another shrill voice mutter "Quickly", then SMACK! Everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two: A deal with the devil.**

_The Hero doth emerge again;_

_To slay and reach evils domain._

_What the... _Link thought dreamily, her surroundings bleak like an obsidian realm, the black haze absent of any life other than Link herself. She narrowed her eyes, feeling as if she just emerged from a bar and drank way too much for that night. Her throbbing head soon descended into a dull ache and her vision began to clear like ink into a glass of water. She found herself in a golden hall, three women in front of her. The girl blinked and focused on the three, drinking in their features. One was tan and muscled with angry eyes and an inferno of red hair and armor on her right arm. Another, however, smiled with coral lips with cooling, cascading blue hair. The last of the three was standing the closest to her, her joints bruised and cut as if she traversed forests daily, her hair green and short like leaves themselves. "She's up!" The green haired woman said with a cheery smile. "Din I told you not to use your hammer! What if she's hurt?" The blue one whined. The tan one scoffed. "She's fine, Nayru." She hissed. Link held her head and rose to a stand. "Wait..." She muttered, her hazy mind clearing more and more. The three looked over as she began to talk. "Din...? Nayru...?" The confused brunette questioned. "Like, the goddesses...? Wait, I'm dreaming aren't I?" She looked around, her headache fading away. The one named Din smacked her upside the head as if she had just said the stupidest thing ever, causing the one named Nayru to yell her name. "No, fucker, this is real. This is real and its all your damn fault!" She bellowed. Link blinked and backed away, sad and confused. "But Din! It's not the heroes fault, silly. We brought her here to help us!" The green one piped. "Surprised she's a woman this time." Nayru mused. Din nodded. "I guess Link can't be a man each time around."

Link glanced around at the three. "Okay, what do you mean a woman this time? Is that bad? And help you do what?" She asked. Nayru facepalmed. "Oh! Where are my manners." She began, then stepped forward, smiling warmly. "I am Nayru. I know you must be confused... But please, listen. These are my sisters Din and Farore and this is quite real. I wish I could say otherwise..." The goddess sighed, then returned her attention to Link. "I'm sure you're aware of the story... What is it called on Earth... Legend of Zelda?" Link perked up. "Yeah, I was named after the main protagonist." She said casually, then her eyes widened in realization. "Wait... You don't mean...!?" Nayru nodded sadly, causing Link to laugh. "Oh my god! How cheesy! Man, my imagination must be awful to dream up this mess! Oh! Haha! Now, just gotta wake up..." She pinched her arm, causing her to flinch. "Hah... Why... Am I not waking up?" She whispered. Farore sighed and went up to Link, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Hey. You. There. Yeah you. Don't pinch yourself that hurts. Oh yeah! And please listen to Nayrus story, mmkay?" She winked and Nayru continued. "Anyway... After all that had happened we decided to banish the soul of Link and Ganondorf to Earth before they could reincarnate again on Hyrule and disrupt the peace. It worked for generations." The ancient goddess sighed, then pulled a lock of sapphire hair from her face. "But a new evil has arrived. One as old as time itself." _"Demise." _Din said poisonously. Nayru nodded sadly. Link paused. "Wait, you mean that big black guy at the end of Skyward Sword?" She asked. The three looked confused. "The really really scary one with big flaming hair!" Farore confirmed. "Okay, so if this was all real and not some big dream, what am I supposed to do?" Link asked. "You are to go down to Hyrule and find Princess Zelda. She has a reputation as a soothsayer and we have been giving her warning of your arrival so you should be able to find easy access into the castle. Then, with her help, you are to find Gannons descendant. With your combined power of wisdom, courage, and power, you will then defeat Demise." Nayru said carefully, making sure that Link memorized each line.

"O-Okay..." Link said unsurely, then put her hand on her forehead. Farore stepped back and Nayru stepped in front of Link, patting her head. "I believe in you, Heroine of Time." She smiled. "I give you the gift of magic to aide you in your quest." She said, her hand that was on Links head glowing light blue. Din then presented herself to Link, glaring down at her as if she was worthless. "Pah, I for one think you're a wuss. But whatever. I give you the gift of a powerful body to aide you in your quest." She muttered. Link looked down, embarrassed. Then, tendrils of fire began swirling around her, burning her flesh away painlessly and giving way to a new one, which looked exactly the same, but with ears that matched those of a respectable Hylian. She looked down at herself until Farore stepped forward happily. "Aww, don't listen to her! You have potential, I guess! I give you the gift of yourself to aide you in your quest!" She giggled. Link looked at her, confused. "You know, your title as Link! And this..." She closed her eyes and a swirling, green energy began to engulf Link. When the emerald tendrils moved away she was clothed in the Heroes Tunic as well as his other garments. However, it looked slightly different from the other Links clothes. Her tunic was longer in the back and properly tailored for a woman, as well as brown embellishments on her hat and knee-high, toughly made boots. "I made it myself." Farore said proudly. Link looked down, examining her new form in disbelief. "Thanks..." She breathed, lost for words. _I cant believe this is happening..._ She thought silently. The goddesses nodded at each other. "Good luck." They said in unison. "Shrimp." Din added. Link glanced up at the red-haired goddess before her vision began to blur once more and her surroundings faded to black.

"Hey..."

_No, five more minutes... _Link thought, pushing away the very concept of waking.

"OI!"

"Ow!" The poor girl yelped, shooting up like an arrow from her not-so-heroic position on the forest floor. She put her hand up to her forehead to soothe a second headache, her cheek red from where she was slapped, then doubled-back at the glowing triforce on the back of her palm. _So... It wasn't a dream! _She thought, growing panicked. _It wasn't a dream and I am sent here by the goddesses. It wasn't a dream and I am the Heroine of Time._

_Oh fuck no. _Link thought to herself, then made a great example of the triforce of courage and squealed at the sight of the pissed-off creature beside her. "Finally! You're fucking awake!" The strange girl said with a fanged grin. Her skin was a deep grey with black scales flecked upon her form cascading into an inferno of reds that made up her hair, blazing like an actual flame. Her eyes were lightning orange, her lips red like rubies. She wore what looked like a neck shackle with a long chain that grazed the ground below her. Link flushed with embarrassment and rose to a stand. "No. Shush. Let me talk, Link." The stranger cooed, holding out a clawed finger to silence the frightened brunette. She stood as well, pulling a hair through her fiery mane thoughtlessly. "Yeah, I know you. Names Bonnie. I think we've met before?" She said sarcastically. Link lit up. "B-Bonnie?" She gasped, then went in to give her friend a hug before being shushed again. "I'm still talking, bitch. I don't have allot of time." Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I know its stupid, but you have to contract with me. Now. No questions." "What do I have to do?" Link asked. Bonnie raised an eyebrow as if to say "Really, bitch?" "Oh, sorry." Link coughed sheepishly. "Take my hand Link. Take it like one of those cheesy scenes in a movie where one broad is falling off a cliff and the other has to save her." Bonnie grinned again, then glanced down at her arm and swore under her breath. "Fuck... It's happening already." The Wraith girl was slowly disappearing, turning translucent with every passing second. Link widened her eyes in surprise, not wanting to lose her best friend so soon in their heartfelt reunion. "Now!" Bonnie yelled. Link snapped her hand out and grasped the other, an explosion of fire invoked by the gesture. She screwed her eyes shut by the sudden flash of light, then howled in agony as her arm began to burn as if she had thrust it into an open fire.

Link bit back a string of curses and looked upon her wounded arm which seemed to be unscathed except for her hand which resembled a pool of lava. Her skin was rough and black with glowing orange patches that swirled and moved like oil. A pain lingered which caused her to bite her lip to keep from screaming. "Yeah, the pain'll go away." Bonnie's voice sounded from nowhere. Link looked around to find her friend, but no Wraith was to be found. "Oh yeah. I guess I should come out now." Bonnie giggled, then a ruby on a strange piece of jewelry chained to Links damaged hand glowed and Bonnie appeared again close by. "What... What was that? What's this?" Link asked, holding up her adorned and burned hand. "That, my friend, is our contract, minus the bling, which I added to keep um... THAT from spreading too quickly. It's Insanity and basically makes up my species, the Wraiths. Corny, I know." Bonnie giggled again. Link furrowed her brows, unable to find anything funny about her situation. "So basically our souls are linked (Haha, get it Link?) and I can stay on Hyrule with you instead of hanging in the Sealed Realm." She explained happily."But... Why? Other than us being best friends of course?" Link asked, rubbing her sore hand. Bonnie's expression shifted to disgust, her gaze turned to the side. " I have a... Personal thing against Demise. I want him dead." She nearly growled, then turned back to Link, smiling. "And what do you know! You do too! So why not team up against him?" Link paused to think. "Yeah...! Um... Do you know where Castle Town is? I'm pretty sure that's where Zelda is..." She asked, looking around. Bonnie blinked, then looked around as well as if she had just now noticed her surroundings. "Oh... Nope. No clue. Good luck, hero!" She said quickly, then disappeared back into the ruby seal on Links hand. "Just great..." Link breathed, then started down the path in front of her. _This isn't a dream and I just made a contract with a demon. This isn't a dream and I have no fucking clue where I am._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three: A Beautiful Princess.**

_A woman cant be kept indoors;_

_A woman will fight her own wars._

_Ow, fuck. _Link complained silently, rubbing her hand. The poor girl had been walking for hours down the well-trodden trail with no sign of the castle town in sight. "Maybe I'm lost." She muttered to herself, glancing down at her "contract". She longed for her friend to tell her where she was, but she was most likely in some sort of magical plane within the ruby or something of the like. A sigh spilled from her lips and she kicked a stone on the path. "Great..." She muttered as she looked up at the setting sun. She then quickened her pace.

Link sighed with relief as soon as the castle was in sight, but the sun was setting rapidly. As soon as the suns grasping arms met the horizon the green-clad lass began to panic and ran._What the?_ She questioned, noticing that she ran much easier. Her memories then went back to when Din blessed her and her lips pulled into a grin. "Haha! Woooh!" She yelled as she ran. She glanced back at the setting sun once more, the light draining from the field. She paused._Don't bad things happen in Hyrule Field at night? _She thought, then widened her eyes in horror as dogs just dripping in decay and rot began rising from the ground. "Oh. Oh no!" She screeched. She quickly plucked a long stick from the ground and raised it threateningly as she continued running. The dog's eyes glowed with pure wrath, mouths twisted into a rotting, toothy grin. They stumbled at first, then began to run after Link at top speed, jagged teeth resembling shards of glass. "G-Get away from me!" She yelled, hitting the dogs that pounced in her way. Blood splattered the ground where she clubbed a hound in the muzzle. "Oh no!" She gasped again as she spotted the gate to the Castle Town closing rapidly. She clenched her teeth and sprinted towards the finish, jumping onto the gate as it began to rise. She slid down the wooden structure onto the cobblestone street below, landing with a loud "Oof". The guard raising the gate stared at her curiously. Link smiled sheepishly. "... Try and get in before sundown next time, alright?" He said in an undertone. Link sprouted up and bowed her head. "Yes sir!" She promised, then blushed with embarrassment and looked into her hand, noticing that she was still grasping her stick.

Link thought about leaving it on the ground, then shrugged and stuck it into the leather loops on the back of her tunic where the sheathe of her sword was meant to go. She stopped to catch her breath, then quickly headed down the street. _... This isn't like the games at all. _She thought, glancing around and her bleak surroundings cautiously. Large men stared as she walked past through bar windows and people with shifty eyes lurked about. She pursed her pierced lips and continued walking, knowing that she had her trusty stick in case one of them wanted to do something suspicious. _I should find an Inn. _She noted, then crossed her arms, keeping her damaged hand out of sight. Her free hand then slipped down to a money bag on her belt filled with what she suspected to be rupees the goddesses slipped inside. _This will be easy, dude. Just find an Inn and pay for a room._ She told herself silently.

"HEY!" Link yelled as a punky young Hylian bumped into her while he ran down the road. "Watch where you're going... Gosh." She muttered, then continued down the road, staring at the cryptic Hylian signs. "How will I find an Inn at this rate?" She questioned, then went to grasp her money pouch but gasped when she found nothing there. _A pickpocket! _She realized, then bared her teeth in anger and kicked a wall. "God _damnit!_" She cursed. Link grumbled and put her forehead against the cool stone of the building in front of her. _Maybe I could smash some vases and get some cash? _She asked herself, then glanced over at a decorative pot on a windowsill. She pondered her destructive plans for a moment then shook her head. _No, that's silly. I'll get yelled at. _She sighed and turned down an alleyway, following her intuition.

After venturing down twisting paths and alleys she soon found herself in front of a building filled with chatting people. Link paused for a moment before entering the bustling pub and walked up to the bartender. "Excuse me, sir." She began, catching the mans attention. He smiled at her with yellowed teeth and a balding head, his body resembling a long-eared skeleton. "Well hello there, what's your name, sweetheart?" He asked. Link stepped back, put off by this mans creepiness. "... Where can I find the nearest Inn?" She asked, ignoring the bartenders question. He paused, looking over the green-clad girl as if she was a well-cooked steak. _Dude I'm covered in blood and sweat. Do I really look so appealing to you? Pervert._She thought silently. "Yeah, you're at one. Entrance is twenty rupees." He said, glancing back up at Links eyes. "Oh... I haven't any rupees." Link sighed, then turned away to walk out the door. "Wait! Miss, I'm sure I could let _you _in..." His lips twisted into a savage grin as he looked over Link once more. "... For free." His words made Link shudder with fear. _Okay. Sleep on the street or for free at this perverts Inn? Your choice, heroine. _She told herself. "A-Alright then." She said, walking back up to the bar. "Your name then?" The bartender asked, chuckling. "Link." She muttered as he wrote in his guest book, then handed her a key. "There you go, _sweetie_." He breathed, his breath putrid. "Thanks..." Link coughed, then headed up to her room, locking the door behind her. She glanced around the room and found a spare dresser. She pushed that in front of the door as well just in case.

Link looked down at the bed, frowning. It was nothing but a rotted mattress with a blanket. "Could be worse." She said with a shrug, then set her stick against the wall and sat on the bed, pulling her hat off her head. "That guy was creepy." Bonnie sounded from the ruby on Links hand. "No shit! Why didn't you help me?" Link asked the Wraith, being answered by a giggle. "Please, you got out okay without me!" She said. Link huffed. "Goodnight, jerk." She mumbled, then pulled the blankets over her and extinguished the lamp. "Goodnight, my little hero!"

Link awoke the next morning with a sore back. She rose from her slumber and pulled her hat onto her head before a meat bun was thrown onto her lap. She examined the meal curiously then looked over to see Bonnie leaning against the wall eating one as well. "Morning, sunshine. I got breakfast." She greeted in between bites. "Where did you get these?" Link asked, quickly consuming the breakfast given to her. "Vender across the street." The Wraith explained. Link paused. "You.. You didn't _steal _it, did you?"  
"So what if I did?"  
"Bonnie!"  
"What? He didn't see me!"  
"But somebody could have! And that's illegal!"  
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You're too cautious Ms. Tights." She scolded the other. Link sighed and decided to leave her trusty stick at the inn, then pushed the drawers out from in front of the doorway while Bonnie disappeared back into the seal. Link took a moment to look over her hand before she left. The tainted flesh seemed to be slowly crawling up her arm at a rate of one or two centimeters a day. _That can't be good._ She noted, then glanced up and down the hall for the scary Innkeeper before making her quick escape.

The Castle Town seemed all too opposite from Link's experience at night. Vendors decorated their shops with bright colors and crowds of people moved about the town. There was singing and dancing in the town square as well as armored guards at every inch. Link walked down the bustling streets and drank in the sight, nearly jumping out of her skin when she spotted a Zora with clean grey skin and tribal clothes. _Woah! _She exclaimed mentally, then quickly averted her gaze when the Zora man she was studying gave her a curious glance. At the other side of the market a large Goron with twisted muscles caught her eye. Nostalgia filled her slender form as she thought back to her experiences playing Ocarina of Time back when she was a young child. She giggled audibly, then stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a vendor selling a longsword. The green-clad lass stepped forward and looked over the blade before turning to the tan, muscled Hylian she assumed was the blacksmith. "How much for the sword?" She asked as he was turned away, hanging up a shield. "Twenty rupees." He said in a monotonous tone. "Oh." Link pouted, then started down the road. _Not like I HAD any rupees. _She reminded herself, then began to think of ways to find some quick cash.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted when she saw a lone fisherman carrying baskets of fish from his cart into his store. "Excuse me, sir!" Link piped as she trotted to his side. "What, brat?" The man barked. Link was caught off guard by his sudden harshness. "... May I help you with that?" She asked, only getting glared at in return. "Pah! I spindly lass like yourself can't carry a basket." He huffed. Link furrowed her brows. "'Ya think?" She growled, then stooped down and grasped a large basket. She pulled back up and carried it without a problem, a slight glare directed at the fishermen. "Fine. Carry the whole lot in an' I'll give 'ya twenty rupees." He wagered. "Twenty five!" Link haggled. "Fine! Twenty five! Hurry up ye curr!" The fishermen grumbled, then returned to his store. "Thank you Din." Link chuckled, then began moving each basket to the fisherman's storefront. For her efforts she was rewarded a shiny red rupee and another in blue. She grinned and clutched her prizes before dashing to the blacksmith. "Here's twenty for the sword!" She offered, pointing at the shiny blade. The blacksmith looked her over curiously before giving the heroine a shrug. "Here 'ya are." He then handed her the sword and she payed. Link studied the mans wares once more before spotting a pair of leather gloves. She looked down at her scarred hand before returning her attention to the blacksmith. "How about the gloves? What's the price?" She asked. "Five." The blacksmith replied. Link quickly paid and slipped the leather onto her slender fingers. Now equipped with a worthwhile sword and gloves to hide her deal with Bonnie, she decided to find the Princess herself.

From the blacksmith Link traversed down the road to a locked gate that was guarded on both sides. _There has to be something good here. The palace maybe?_ She asked herself, then glanced over at some armored men. "Does this gate lead to the castle?" She asked a guard. He looked down at her. "Are you wanting to get in?" He asked poisonously. "Yeah. I'm Link." She said in hopes to sway him. The guards eyes narrowed to a glare. " And let me guess, you want to meet the Princess and whisk her away on an adventure? Haven't heard that one before. Get out of here before I have to use force." He threatened. Link widened her eyes in surprise. "Yes sir!" She piped, then walked away briskly, then turned into an alley. "How am I going to get in now?" She asked herself. Bonnie appeared beside her out of sight of the people on the street. "Don't know. Sneak in?" She said, examining the wall in front of her. Link took a moment to think. "That... Is a very good idea." She mused. "But how? " She looked over to her slightly-scary pal. "... Wait here." She patted Link on the shoulder and floated up above the building stealthily. The young Hylian shielded her eyes from the suns rays as she watched Bonnie as she scouted the area and returned to her side. "There's a patch of vines up a hill on the side of the gate out of sight of the guards. Go up there and find your way inside." She informed her friend. Link nodded and set her sights on the main road once more after Bonnie returned to her seal.

Link raised a hand to adjust her hat as she walked over rather awkwardly to the aforementioned hill, glancing around cautiously. She quickly turned and clambered up the flora, hands aching with every heave. Once she had cleared the vines she stopped to catch her breath before dodging out of view and studying her surroundings. She had three options. Either she could go across the gate and straight up the path, go across the bridge and through a small garden, or sneak across the edge of the garden and sneak across a second gate to the moat. She then counted the guards and deduced that the longest path would be the quickest. She bit her lower lip in a nervous habit as she contemplated her next move._What if I get caught? What if they kick me out? What if I never meet up with Zelda and Demise ends up taking over Hyrule because I'm a failure of a hero? _She panicked. _No. Stop it. You are Link, damnit. Heroine of Time, remember? ... Now use those Time skills and make it snappy. _The green-clad girl scolded herself for her hesitation. "Alright... Lets go." She breathed, then went all-or-nothing.

The not-so-stealthy heroine dashed as silently as she could across the gate bridge and ducked behind a tree. She panted heavily and looked askance at the guards, relieved that they hadn't noticed her. She took a moment to build her confidence and dashed again across the edge of the garden, her heart beating straight through her chest. _Oh Farore. _She pleaded in her mind as she reached a medium-sized boulder set against the wall beside the second gate. She scanned the area for guards and scaled the boulder and propped herself on top of the wall. She glanced downward at the ground below before she lost balance and fell the length down the wall. "Oof!" She exclaimed upon impact, then smacked her hand to her mouth. "What was that?" She heard a guard exclaim. _Shit! Shit! Shit! Triple shit! Agh! _She cursed in her mind. Her ears perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and she snapped up and looked left and right, the uniform tattoo of soldier feet approaching from both sides. In a stroke of daring and luck she dove into the murky waters of the Hyrule Castle moat, forever grateful for the lack of alligators or other predators of the like. She clutched her hat with one hand and swam, holding her breath as long as she could.

Link pushed her head out of the water and sputtered. She pulled her sopping form out of the moat and glanced around for guards. Seeing that the coast was clear, she shook the water from her hat and slipped it back on, a grumpy expression on her face. _Alright... Now where's Zelda? _She wondered, then spotted more vines leading up to a window on the side of one of the Castle's many towers. "... Worth a shot." She mumbled to herself. She cracked her knuckles and climbed up the vines, determined to make it to the top. Once at her desired destination she pulled her lightly damp self into the richly furnished room. Link glanced around, impressed by the pale pink decor and gold embellishments. The most impressive sight in the room, however, was the girl sitting at her vanity brushing her long, brown hair. Link blushed as the girl looked at her through the mirror, sapphire eyes wide. "You..." She breathed through pink, silken lips. She stood with grace and turned to face the green-clad heroine, looking her over. "You... You look like the woman in my dream." She said with a voice that would make an angel cast away her halo in jealousy. "H... Hi." Link stuttered like the true Casanova she is. The girl smiled gently, then put a gloved hand to her heart once footsteps sounded outside of her door. "Hide, quickly!" She ordered. Link was quick to comply and dove under the bed, being sure to stay out of sight.

_Ow... _Link complained silently, then pricked up her ears as she heard the door open. "Good afternoon, father." She heard the woman say. "Good morrow, Zelda." A hearty voice said in return. _Zelda... What a pretty name... _She mused with an intoxicated grin, then it hit her. _Wait, oh goddesses, that's Zelda! Hah! I made it! _She celebrated, then listened in on the rest of the conversation between the two royals. "Is everything alright? The guards suspect a trespassing."

"I'm fine, father."

"Are you sure?"

"_Yes._"

"Alright then..." The king paused for a moment. "What's this?" He wondered, then walked past the bed, making Links heart nearly stop with fear. "Zelda! What are you doing leaving the window open so carelessly? The last thing we need is an assassin crawling in and snatching you up!" He scolded. "Sorry, father." Zelda said forlornly. "You ought to be. I can't afford to lose you." He grumbled, then left the room, closing the door behind him. "You can come out now." The Princess said after a few moments. Link crawled out from underneath the bed to behold Zelda yet again, feeling a bit embarrassed to be damp and dirty in the presence of such royalty. "... Is your name Link?" She asked, giving the heroine a questioning glance. "Yeah." Link answered simply. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it was true, my dream. But it also told of a great haze of smoke and fire taking over Hyrule, its people's skin black and orange like lava..." She began. "Demise and his plans." Link explained. Zelda blinked. "Demise? I read about him. If it is him then we're royally screwed, excuse my pun." She put a hand to her forehead and Link smiled faintly. "The goddesses said that you were to help me find the descendant of Gannondorf..." Link began. "You spoke with the goddesses!?" Zelda piped, standing from her seat. "Yeah, we had a brief meet before I was dropped in the middle of Hyrule Field." Link explained, sticking her hands in her pockets to keep from fidgeting. Zelda nodded. "I see... The descendant of Gannondorf, huh?" She muttered, then opened her dresser, pulling out an assortment of clothes. "One moment, this won't take long." She said quickly, then left into a second room to change.

Link gazed out the window as she waited for Zelda, then stood when she heard the princess enter the room once more. Her brown locks were kept down and fastened by gold jewelry in the front. She wore a simple tiara and clothes that were ready for adventure. She dropped her previously worn gown onto her bed and turned to face Link. "What do you think?" She asked eloquently. _Oh god don't say something stupid. _Link thought. "You look great." She said with a grin. Zelda smiled in return, then drew a heavily-hooded, black cloak around her shoulders, a blue Sheikah symbol on the front of the garment. "I'm sure Impa won't mind if I borrow this." She explained. "I'm sorry about my father. Ever since my mother died in childbirth he has been mighty protective of me..." She continued, lifting an ornate shield from the wall and hefting it across her back. "I'm sorry for your loss." Link said with a frown. "Don't be. I'm well over it. I only wish he was." Zelda sighed, then retrieved a sword and it soon joined the shield. "Now, I know of my past and the past of the Zeldas before me..." She began, clipping a belt around her waist, then turned to look Link straight in the eye. "But screw it all. Link, my dear, I'll be joining you on this venture!"

Link widened her eyes in surprise. "Zelda, princess, are you sure about that?" She asked, stepping forward with a hand on the back of her head. Zelda nodded. "I can't sit back and watch my kingdom die. And neither you or my father are going to stop me." She said, ending on a sassy note. Link nodded. "Alright..." She said, then glanced towards the door. "How will we get out then?" She asked. Zelda took a moment to think. "... Come on. If we're sneaky we can get through and escape through the horse stables." She took Links hand and nearly forced her out the door, pulling her hood up to cover her face. Link pursed her lips and followed the princess carefully, trusting that she knew where she was going. The two walked through lavish hallways and beautifully decorated rooms that left Links jaw at the ground. "This way, and be careful or you'll catch a fly." Zelda joked. Link closed her mouth, flushing with embarrassment. After a good while of wandering the two girls ended up in a horse stable. Zelda quickly found two horses and threw a saddle onto them. "This is Athena." She said, patting a white stallion and handing Link the reigns of a brown mare. "And this one?" She asked, patting her snout. "... Epona." Zelda said with a smile. Link snickered and climbed onto the mares back. "Epona, huh? Nice to meet you, buddy." She said, patting her mane. "Come on, this way." Zelda began, urging Athena out of the stable. "Come on,"

"... _Heroine of Time._"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four: A Date with Death.**

_Our heroine has much to learn;  
Her courage she must fight to earn._

_Clip, clop._ The two girls rode on horseback towards the Southern Gate. Zelda wore her hood down to cover her face and lead the way on her white stallion. "Wait... Come on, detour." She said to Link, who was preoccupied with getting used to riding on horseback. "'Kay." She agreed, then turned Epona around to follow the Princess down the alley. Zelda hopped off of Athena after a few moments riding and looked up at a wooden sign covered in Hylian symbols and what looked like an eye. "Here we go. Need help, Link?" She asked with a quick glance over at the Heroine, who was having trouble dismounting. "No, I got this." She reassured her, then moved her legs to a side-saddle position and jumped off, landing on her feet. "You can read that?" She asked the Princess, gesturing up at the sign. "... Yes. I can." Zelda said as if Link had asked her if the sky was blue. Link blushed. "No, I mean, I can't... I'll explain later." Zelda gave her a quizzical look and entered the shop. "We need to find the holder of the Triforce of Power, right? Gannon's descendant?" She asked Link. She nodded in response and looked around the exotically-decorated shop. The lighting was dim and eerie with a single light shining from a crystal ball on an altar ahead of them. "Welcome!" A woman's voice bellowed, candles lighting as if by magic revealing a portly woman on the other side of the altar. Link gave a small jump and Zelda remained still. "We have a question, oracle." The princess said from behind her hood. The woman smiled. "What would that be?" She asked. "We need to know the whereabouts of a specific man; Gannondorf."

The oracle's smile soon faded. "You can't be serious. He is a myth." She assured the robed royal. "I assure you that we are." Zelda said, opening her money bag and setting a large amount of rupees on the table. The plump womans lips parted in a silent gasp at the sight of the gems and soon snatched them up. "Very well, madame! Let me ask the Goddesses where he is." The psychic chuckled darkly and gazed into her crystal ball. The candles around her grew dim, casting a ghostly glow onto the womans face. Link glanced around and scooted closer to Zelda by instinct. The oracle began to chant deeply, her piggish eyes entranced in the crystal sphere like a sailer gazing upon his siren downfall. "Aha!" She announced at last. "I see a large desert..." She began. "And women equipped to fight like men." She glanced up at Zelda, grinning. "There you will find your man." Zelda nodded. "Thank you." She then turned to exit with Link close behind. "... What does that mean?" Link asked her companion. Zelda took a moment to think. "Women equipped to fight like men... Well, she either means us or the Gerudo tribe in the West. I'm pretty sure she means the Gerudos." She said, remounting her horse. Link climbed atop Epona and followed Zelda once again out of the Town through the Western Gate.

Link glanced around at her surroundings as they rode through Hyrule Field. The grass around them waved and swirled like an ocean of Farore's creation, the sun shining overhead. Link lifted a hand to shield the golden rays from her eyes. "... I hope we're going the right way." Zelda said, slowing her horse to a walk as she looked over her map. Link lead Epona as close as she could and leaned over to look at the map as well. "We're headed for _that _desert? It looks massive." She commented. Zelda nodded. "Yes, it is. By the by, why is it you couldn't read the sign?" She asked, looking up at Link with questioning, cobalt eyes. "I'm not... from Hyrule." Link explained simply. "Where are you from then?"

"... Washington, on Earth."

"Never heard of it."

"Yeah, you wouldn't have." Link scratched the back of her head. Zelda blinked, confused. "The Goddesses banished Gannon and I to Earth before we could reincarnate again on Hyrule. It's nowhere on this planet, I think." She explained. Zelda paused. "Well, considering my dream and your sudden appearance It wouldn't be improbable." She sighed. "Oh well. Come on, let's try and make it before sunset. Hyah!"

The sun's rays seemed to intensify as they rode further west until it settled to an intense drone of heat. Plant life seemed to wane more and more until all gave way to sand. "Ah!" Link gasped as Epona stopped abruptly and almost knocked her off balance. "What's wrong, girl?" The green-clad lass asked her horse, patting her mane. "They won't go on any farther. We're going on foot from now on." Zelda explained, hopping off of her horse. Link dismounted as well. "Will the horses be okay?" The brunette asked. "Yeah, they should be fine. I'll call them back once we have Gannon." She pulled her hood back over her head and began walking. "Here, you'll need it." She pulled a spare handkerchief from her pocket and threw it to Link, taking her own and tying it around her mouth in case of a sand storm. Link did the same.

The two walked and walked for what seemed like hours. Before long the two girls were drenched in sweat and cursing the goddesses. "Oh... The sun." Zelda groaned. Link looked up, noticing that the sun was setting rapidly along with the temperature. "We should find shelter. I heard that deserts get insanely cold at-" Link tripped over something hard, finding a face full of sand a split second later. Zelda chuckled and Link coughed and stood back up. "Oh my! How cute!" Zelda piped, lifting a petite robot-like machine from the sand. "It tried to kill me." The heroine whined. "Oh, shush, you drama queen. Can we keep it?" The Princess asked. "Your highness, I think we should leave it here." Link assured her. "Fine." She sighed, then set it back down in the sand. "Hey... Another one." Link murmured, pointing at another odd, ancient machine. "Odd." Zelda furrowed her brows and walked up to it before they found another, then another, then another. Link put a hand on the hilt of her sword just in case as they followed the trail of ruined machines.

"Link, look!" Zelda pointed ahead at a crudely-made, metal shack. Link put out a hand to stop the Princess and walked protectively in front of her. Together they approached the building and Link raised a fist to knock on the iron door. "Whozzit!?" They heard from inside. "Two vagabonds seeking shelter!" Link answered, gesturing for Zelda to put her hood back on. "A'ight-ey then, c'mon in!" The raspy old mans voice hollered. Link opened the door and led the robed royal inside before shutting it again. The shack was composed of three rooms and was supplied with basic necessities such as a simple kitchen with machine parts laying around. A hallway lead to two doors of which Link deduced were bedrooms. "Make y'urself at home." An old man said from behind a welders mask, working on what looked like one of the machines the two girls found outside but in better condition. The two exchanged glances before finding a chair to sit at. Link took the chance to glance around the hut, examining the machine parts. "Where 're you headed?" The man asked. "To the Gerudo tribe." Zelda answered. The old man laughed. "Headed f'r the Gerudo's, eh? You wantin' ta' join 'em?" He joked. "No. We're looking for a friend." Link said, adjusting her gloves. "Good luck gettin' through th' desert. You gonn' get lost if you don't have one of dem glassy do-dads." The old man shook his head, then screwed in a few loose bolts from the robot in front of him. "What is it that you mean, glassy do-dads?" Zelda inquired, the mans warning invoking her curiosity. "Uh, this'n!" The old man piped, holding up what resembled the Lens of Truth. Zelda gasped quietly at the sight. "Sir... May we borrow it for this trip? We promise to return it on our way out." She asked. The old man snickered. "No can do, ladies! This here 's mine. You ain't gettin' it." He assured her. Zelda pursed her lips and pulled down her hood and untied her handkerchief. "Does this change your mind, sir?" She asked with a smile, then pulled a ring from her fingers. "I will give you my ring in exchange for the Lens."

The old man turned and looked at her for a moment. "Nope. Sorry y'ur Highness. I don't much care f'r jewels." He said in a flat tone. "Y'all ain't gettin' this here do-dad... Unless you worked f'r it!" Link perked up. "What do we have to do?" She asked. Zelda sighed and slid her ring back on. "Now I feel bad f'r askin' you ladies ta' do this f'r me, but my vision ain't as good as it used. I need you ta' go down ta' that there basement," He pointed to a locked door leading down into the sand just outside of his window, "And get me ma' spare wrench." He frowned, as if forgetting something. "Yeah, sure! Piece of cake." Link grinned, then stood. "Uh... Good luck missy... Ain't I suppose ta' tell you somethin' about the basement?" He scratched his head. "I won't be long." Link said to Zelda, then turned to walk out of the shack. "Wait! I'm coming with you." Zelda said, then stood to follow the other. Link nodded and walked down to the entrance. A metal hatch was just outside of the hut, shut tight with chains and a single lock. "... He didn't give us a key." Zelda breathed. "Back up, I got this." Link unsheathed her sword and ran at the lock. "Hyah!" She cried, then brought her blade down as hard as she could at the metal contraption, smiling once she heard a pleasing snap. "Good job." Zelda whistled. Link bent down to open the hatch, then began down the ladder into the dank basement.

_Oh... I need a light... _Link thought as she was enveloped into a thick haze of darkness. She felt her feet touch solid flooring and took a step forward. "Hey Zelda, got a light?" She asked her companion, who reached the bottom a split second after her. "Oh... Yes. Here, would you be a dear and light this torch? I'll start searching for the wrench." Link heard Zelda say, then gripped the torch, flint, and steel she was given. She took a moment to hold her torch between her legs as she went to light it with the flint and steel. _ Oh, damnit... _She cursed, striking the flint again and again in vain. Zelda sounded as if she was searching through a box nearby. "... Link," The princess began in a worried tone. "Hold on... Why won't this thing light!?" She answered, growing frustrated. "H-Hurry..." Zelda squeeked. Link pursed her lips and struck the flint again, the spark made extinguishing at once. _What, is she afraid of the dark or something? Hah, scaredy cat. It's just some basement... _"Oh, there we go!" Link smiled in triumph, holding up a newly lit torch, then came face-to-face with exactly what Zelda was so worried about. Fear struck the Heroine like a strike of plutonian lightning, her emerald eyes fixated onto the rotting, paper-like skin in front of her. The ghoul breathed heavily, pure hunger affixed into its hollow eyes. It grinned toothily and opened its mouth, the piercing shriek of women and children screaming of pure horror escaping from its maw. Link and Zelda soon joined it until Link shot her sword out and stabbed the beast as hard as she possibly could, its vile blood dripping down her arm.

"Get away from me!" "Zelda! Are you- Zelda!" Link gasped, then struck at another Re-Dead that was clinging to the Princess. Zelda unsheathed her sword and kicked the fallen Re-Dead away. "I-Is that it?" She asked shakily, the after-affects of the Re-Deads shriek leaving them horror-struck. "Move! The wrench must be this way!" Zelda ordered, running down the corridor. Link followed her, her heart hammering in her chest like an alarm. Right, left, right again, the domain seemed more like a labyrinth than a basement. She glanced behind her and only quickened her pace once she saw the undead crawling towards them with gnashing teeth. "Don't look at them Link! They use fear to trap their prey!" Zelda yelled. "Link, torch!" She handed her the light with haste, trying her hardest to not look back. "Where is that infuriating thing..." Zelda grumbled, searching around for the old mans wrench. _Come on Link, you're the triforce of courage. Just be chill and don't look back. Don't. Look. Back. _She chided herself over and over again like a broken record, but fear grasped her heart like a dying man clings to life and she broke that fatal rule. She turned around and glanced at the advancing Re-Dead.

The grinning dead entranced her in those sirenian eyes, left frozen in place with pure horror. Closer and closer they approached, hands outstretched as if they were reaching for their lovers. Jagged teeth of decaying bone clamped around Link's legs, her breath caught in her throat. She tried her hardest to reach for her sword but was paralyzed with fear. Their leathery hands grasped at Links shaking form, threatening to tear her to shreds. "Found it!" Zelda announced, holding up a rusty tool. She spun around and gasped. "Get off of her!" She bellowed, then slashed at the fiends until they dropped to their final rest. "Th... Thanks.." Link breathed. "Come on, let's get out of here." Zelda said softly, then took Links hand and made a dash to the stairway. Link widened her eyes in surprise as she saw the Re-Deads rising again from the ground, vengeance glaring in their eyes. "Hurry!" The green-clad lass gasped, then stepped up the ladder after Zelda. The two climbed as fast as they possibly could towards the moon-lit exit and threw themselves onto the sand. "The.. Door..." Zelda panted. Link spun around to the open hatch and snapped it shut, placing a spare piece of metal in between the handles as a makeshift lock. "That... Was terrifying." Link said, taking a moment to catch her breath. "Come on, let's return his goddess damned wrench."

The two re-entered the old man's makeshift hut and tossed him his missing wrench. "Ah! Thank ye'!" He piped, then went over at once to make needed adjustments to his machine. Zelda huffed angrily and leaned against a nearby wall. "Well, I am a man a' my word. Here ya' go, Princess." The old man said, handing Zelda the Lens of Truth. "Thank you." She mumbled, then stuck it in her pocket. "You two can sleep o'er there in the spare room if ya' wan'." He instructed. Link nodded and made her way into the spare room of the shack, happy to find two beds. "I'm going to test the Lens out. I will join you in a moment." Zelda called to Link. "Alright." She answered, then sat on her bed. Link pursed her lips as a dull pain sounded from her infected arm. She glanced around for any sign of the old man or Zelda and pulled off her glove. The dark energy seemed as if it were seeping through her veins and infecting her skin. The blackened skin now spread a bit past her wrist. "I'll have to remember to keep my sleeves down..." She muttered. "I'm just glad the Re-Dead didn't eat you alive, skinny." She heard a familiar voice giggle. "Hey Bonnie." Link looked over to her demonic pal, who was now sitting next to her on the bed. "Hiya Link. So... You get in Zelda's skirts yet?" Bonnie asked, her vermilion lips pulled into a grin. Link blushed. "Bon! I just met the girl!" She sputtered. Bonnie laughed. "Whatever." She chuckled, then got up to look around the room. Link sighed and slipped her glove back on.

Link sat against the wall and pulled her knees against her chest. _Why did I get so scared? Aren't I supposed to be the hero? _She thought, resting her chin on her knees. _The triforce of courage... Pah, I'm a coward... _She felt sadness pull at her heart and she quickly pushed it away, "Bonnie, do you think I'll be a brave heroine?" She asked. Bonnie turned to face Link. "Yeah. The goddesses chose you for a reason, didn't they?" She said with a shrug, then glanced out of the door. "Oh. Her Royal Highness is on her way. See ya." Bonnie said in a hurried tone, then quickly disappeared. "Good evening." Zelda yawned as she entered the small room. "Evenin'." Link replied, then pulled her sword off of her back and set it against her bed. Zelda did the same. "I'm exhausted..." The princess breathed, then climbed into bed. "Good night, Link. Try and get some rest." She advised the Heroine. "Yeah, I will." Link nodded, then slipped under her covers. Zelda reached up and turned the dial on their lantern until its flame extinguished and left the two vagabonds in darkness once more.


End file.
